What is a disadvantage of the star topology?

In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central hub or switch, which manages communications between the devices. The primary disadvantage of this configuration is that if the central hub fails, the entire network becomes inoperable. Since all data transmission relies on the hub to route information, any disruption at this critical point will prevent any communication between the devices in the network. This makes the reliability of the network heavily dependent on the functionality of the central hub.

Other options highlight characteristics that are not disadvantages. For instance, direct communication among devices is a feature of different topologies, and higher redundancy isn't typical in a star topology since it relies on a single point of connection. Additionally, the simplicity of design is an advantage in creating and managing such networks. Therefore, the central hub's failure posing a serious risk to the network's overall operation distinctly underscores the disadvantage associated with the star topology.